GHANZI CITY, Afghanistan - The Texas Agri-business Development Team-02 at Forward Operating Base Ghazni recently conducted a mission to finalize projects outside of Ghazni city.
The ADT traveled to Shams Village Complex to inspect the slaughter facility, and met with contractors for both the Ghazni Livestock Sale Barn facility and the solar and wind power system.
"There are several slaughter facilities being contracted throughout the province," said U.S. Army Sgt. Todd Plybon, Texas ADT-02 soil scientist from 143rd Infantry Regiment, Detachment 9 from Austin, Texas. "These facilities are being built so that the butchers in the province will have a suitable location to conduct business."
"Prior to the build of the slaughter facility, butchers were [processing] the animals in their shops and in the streets," said Maj. John Plouch, a guardsmen from Texas assigned to Texas ADT-02. "Often times, the blood would drain into the streets, causing a sanitation issue."
"The current slaughter facility that the Ghazni butchers are using is not as efficient as it could be," Plybon said.
A second, more complex facility specifically designed to handle cattle was proposed and submitted for approval.
While at the facility, the team documented "Qurbani," the Muslim process for slaughtering animals.
"Understanding the cultural aspects of [processing] the animals will aid the ADT in designing and building slaughter facilities that better meet the needs of those involved in the process," said U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Harlan Hardy, ADT Agriculture Team non-commissioned officer in charge.
The new slaughter facility allows the government of Afghanistan to monitor the quality of meat and regulate health concerns by having a registered veterinarian on location to evaluate the animal prior to and after slaughter.
The goal of the ADT is to determine the facilities butchers need for future projects.
The ADT looks into supplying other items to assist butchers with slaughtering the animals, such as tip tables, chain winches, cold storage and other meat processing tools, Plybon said.
The solar and wind power system is designed to provide electrical power for the livestock sale barn.
The projects being worked through the Texas ADT are requested by the Ghazni Director of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, or through the local village elders.
| Date Taken: | 09.21.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 09.22.2009 02:49 |
| Story ID: | 39120 |
| Location: | GHANZI CITY, AF |
| Web Views: | 587 |
| Downloads: | 500 |
This work, Agri-business Development Team helps Afghan meat-processors, by MSgt Sarah Webb, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
